Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

"I... my family is doing just fine, you don't need to worry about us. But you, a bachelor, just hanging around in that old man's inn every day, the whole... the whole village is watching, and you still have the nerve to talk about official business? You're trying to fool me!"

"It's official business! It's a major road construction project in the village!"

"Business? Nobody believes that!"

Liu Neng didn't back down an inch and continued:

"If you're so capable, then get up and leave right now. If you dare to leave, I'll turn around and go home."

"Why should I leave? If anyone should leave, it should be you!"

"I'm the village head, it's my right to discuss work in the village! I can stay as long as I want, it's none of your business to tell me what to do, stop finding fault with me!"

"What village area? This is where Big Foot runs his private shop! Not your village committee!"

"Even Big Foot didn't chase me away, so why should you tell me what to do? If you're so capable, let's see who can hold out until the wee hours of the morning, until dawn, and see who gives in first!"

Listening to their ridiculous argument, Xie Dajiao couldn't help but smile, covering her mouth tightly and her shoulders trembling slightly.

Lin Chen whispered a mischievous laugh in her ear from behind:

"See, I told you so. They're too busy to care about us. Don't worry, no one will find out..."

Xie Dajiao gently bit her lip, unable to hide the shyness in her eyes. She raised her hand and gently punched Lin Chen's supporting arm, with a hint of coquettish complaint, but without any intention of pushing him away.

Outside the window, there was a constant commotion, but inside, spring was in the air, and the dim light cast their shadows together.

As night deepened, it was already nine o'clock, and the tenderness in the back room slowly came to an end.

Xie Dajiao carefully tidied her clothes and hair. She took a deep breath, rubbed her cramped thigh, suppressed the pounding in her heart, and gently opened the door and walked out. She pretended to be nonchalant as she walked to the counter, picked up a water glass and pretended to pour water. Her expression was calm and natural, showing no sign of anything unusual.

Lin Chen followed closely behind, walked out of the back room, took out a cigarette, lit it, leaned against the counter, and looked at the two who were still locked in a stalemate, chuckling and teasing:

"Thank you both for your hard work, uncles. You've been helping my aunt keep the shop afloat for so long. We feel much more at ease eating here now."

Wang Changgui, chin held high, looked arrogant, adopting the air of a village cadre:

"Xiao Chen, you can rest assured. With me here to keep things in order, not only will thieves not dare to come near, but even random strangers won't dare. Forget about guarding the shop, nothing will go wrong!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Neng immediately objected and retorted:

"Don't try to take all the credit for yourself! What do you mean 'just you'? We were both minding the shop together, and you were even wary of me, afraid I'd get any credit. You're so unfair!"

"I was just trying to stop you from causing trouble!" Wang Changgui retorted with a glare, not giving an inch.

"That's pure sophistry!"

Liu Neng curled his lip in dissatisfaction:

"You're just hiding something, afraid I'll expose your little scheme. Today's credit must be split 50/50; even a fraction less won't do!"

Seeing that the two were about to argue about their achievements again, Lin Chen quickly smiled and smoothed things over:

"Alright, alright, you two have both worked hard and deserve credit. It's getting late, I'll go home and rest first. You two should also go home and rest early, don't ruin your health."

"No! I'm not leaving!"

The two spoke in unison again, their attitude extremely firm and unyielding.

"Today, we must...we must...we absolutely have to fight him to the bitter end!"

"Yes, I won't leave no matter what. Even if I have to stay up all night, I will never back down first!" Wang Changgui stood firm to the end.

Lin Chen chuckled helplessly, completely too lazy to persuade her anymore, and turned to look at Xie Dajiao:

"Then I'll be going now, Auntie."

"Drive carefully, it's dark, watch your step and don't slip," Xie Dajiao replied while rinsing her mouth.

"Got it." Lin Chen smiled and waved his hand, then pushed open the door and walked out of the grocery store.

With Lin Chen gone, there were no outsiders left in the shop, and the two of them were even more uninhibited.

Wang Changgui lit another cigarette, puffing out smoke as he sat still.

Liu Neng grabbed some sunflower seeds from the table and continued cracking them open.

……

Another hour passed, and the two of them were already at their breaking point.

Chang Gui leaned against the wall, yawning incessantly. His eyelids were drooping, and he was so sleepy that his head was drooping. Liu Neng was even more sleepy than him. His head was nodding off, and he was almost asleep sitting up. His eyelids were so heavy that he couldn't lift them.

Just as the two were dozing off, the wooden door of the grocery store was suddenly pushed open with a bang, and Liu Ying's mother rushed in, hands on her hips, staring at the sleepy Liu Neng and shouting at the top of her lungs:

"Liu Neng! Open your eyes and see what time it is! Aren't you going home to sleep? Are you planning to spend the night here?!"

The shout startled Liu Neng, instantly waking him up. He sat bolt upright, rubbing his eyes and muttering to himself:

"What are you yelling about? Why are you making such a fuss? I...I wasn't asleep, what's the rush!"

When Xie Dajiao saw Liu Yingniang, she was overjoyed, as if she had seen a savior. She rushed over to her, grabbed her hand, and poured out her grievances, full of complaints:

"Oh, Liu Yingniang, you've finally arrived! Quickly, take this scoundrel of yours away! He's here all day long, like he's glued to my shop. I've tried to get rid of him countless times, but he just won't leave!"

She turned her head and pointed to Liu Neng beside her, saying helplessly:

"Everyone in the village knows that my husband is away from home all year round, and I, a woman, make a living by running this small shop."

He's a grown man, staying up until midnight every day. What will the villagers think when they see this? I really don't know what to do with him..."

Upon hearing this, Liu Neng immediately became displeased and said with a frustrated expression:

"Big...Big Foot, how could you say that? What bad intentions could I possibly have? I'm just trying to help you out, worried about the safety of people in the shop!"

Wang Changgui, standing next to him, instantly perked up, his drowsiness almost completely gone:

"Liu Ying's mother, you've finally arrived! If you had come any later, he would have had to bring his bedding over tomorrow and start cooking. I have so many things to do all day, and I still had to come and watch over him... sigh..."

"You're talking nonsense!"

Liu Neng became extremely anxious on the spot and pointed at Wang Changgui, saying:

"It was you who refused to leave, so how did it become my fault!"

"Shut up!"

Liu Yingniang roared and grabbed Liu Neng's ear, twisting it hard.

"Ouch, that hurts so much! Let go! Let go!"

Liu Neng grimaced in pain, twisting his body back and forth, his earlier arrogance vanishing instantly.

"I'll teach you a lesson for staying out all night and making a fool of yourself!"

Liu Yingniang twisted his ear and dragged him toward the door, she was furious.

Liu Neng was dragged along, staggering and walking unsteadily, but he didn't forget to turn back and say something harsh to Wang Changgui:

"Wang Changgui, you just wait! This isn't over. I'll be back tomorrow and keep this up!"

"You dare to come again?"

Liu Yingniang kicked him in the buttocks and said sternly:

"Try it again! If you come again, I'm not going to stay with you anymore! Hurry up and leave, stop dawdling!"

"I...I...I...I..." Liu Neng was almost crying in desperation.

"What do you mean, 'what do you mean, 'I'? You can't even speak coherently! Get the hell out of here!"

Watching the people walk away, Xie Dajiao let out a long sigh of relief. Wang Changgui cleared his throat and sat back down on his stool with a smug look on his face.

"I told you he couldn't outlast me. Okay, that's all. I'll sit here for a bit longer, catch my breath, and then I'll leave."

Xie Dajiao's face immediately darkened, and she pointed directly at the door:

"Don't sit here anymore, hurry up and leave. Liu Neng is gone, what are you still doing here? It's the middle of the night, a man and a woman alone together, do you want the villagers to gossip? Get out of here!"

"No, Big Foot, sit for two more minutes, it won't make a difference." Wang Changgui still wanted to dawdle and beg for forgiveness.

"What are you doing sitting down! Get out of here!"

Xie Dajiao pushed him directly:

"If you don't leave, I'll call for help. Then we'll accuse you of indecent assault, and we'll see how you, the village chief, will face us then!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Changgui immediately cowered and could only slink up.

"Fine, fine, I'm leaving, you should close the door and go to sleep too."

As soon as Wang Changgui left, Xie Dajiao slammed the shop door shut, bolted it, and leaned against the door to completely relax, secretly relieved that things had finally quieted down.

The next morning, Liu Yishui's farm was spotless. Xie Xiaomei had just finished making her records and was heading out when she ran into Wang Xiaomeng, who was delivering tofu.

Xie Xiaomei immediately hurried over:

"Xiao Meng, you've come to deliver the tofu. Just leave it there, I'll have someone come and pick it up."

"It's okay, I'm not tired. I'll take it inside."

"No need, no need, just leave it there. Come on, let's go to my room and sit for a while. We didn't have a proper chat last time."

Wang Xiaomeng nodded and put down the carrying pole. Xie Xiaomei then called for people to carry the tofu away.

Following Xie Xiaomei into the dormitory, the room was clean and tidy, simple and clean, except for the addition of a mosquito net, just as refreshing as before.

The two sat on the sofa, and Xie Xiaomei handed a pear to Wang Xiaomeng, chatting casually:

"Xiao Meng, is your tofu shop doing well lately? I see you coming over to deliver goods every day, you're never idle."

"It's alright, we just make do with the regular customers." Wang Xiaomeng smiled as she took the pear and took a small bite.

Xie Xiaomei stared at her for a while, then smiled and tentatively asked:

"Xiao Meng, I have a question for you. Do you... have a boyfriend/girlfriend now?"

Wang Xiaomeng seemed a little awkward and whispered:

"No, I'm still single."

"You're hardworking and kind, how could no one like you?"

Xie Xiaomei joked with a smile:

"Let me tell you, our Director Liu always praises you to me, and he's always thinking about you."

Wang Xiaomeng quickly waved her hand and hurriedly explained:

"Don't joke around. I've always treated Yishui like a brother, and I've never thought of anything else."

Xie Xiaomei raised an eyebrow, leaned forward, and whispered gossipingly:

"Then... what about Lin Chen? Don't you have any other feelings for him at all?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Xiaomeng froze instantly, her face suddenly turned red, and she couldn't utter a word for a long time. Her heart was pounding, and she felt both flustered and shy.

Seeing her reaction, Xie Xiaomei immediately understood and her heart sank. Just as she was about to ask more questions, there was a knock at the door...

……

The scene shifts back to when Big Foot Grocery Store was bustling with activity.

Many villagers take advantage of their free time in the morning to come and buy things and chat; the village is bustling with people.

Li Daguo drove his half-car, parked it in front of the store, carried in several cases of drinks, put them down, and wiped his sweat.

"Auntie, the goods have been unloaded for you. Please count them."

Xie Dajiao didn't even look up, and casually said:

"Just leave it there, no need to order, there's not much."

Li Daguo rubbed his hands together and said:

"Auntie, I have a question for you. Do you know Liu Yishui? The one who runs a breeding farm."